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Re: [RC] [AERCMembersForum] Safety Issue- Ride manager alert - rides2far



Ride 

management had set a truck up on the finish line with headlights 
across the  road and people jumped up and shouted `Here they come!


When I was a very rookie rider and even rookier manager I put a lantern
on each side of the jeep trail width dirt road the Tellico 100 finished
on. I was called away from the finish line by a false claim that the glow
sticks were gone and had gone out in my truck to fix them. Jon Warren, a
very experienced AERC vet walked out to the finish line, saw the lanterns
and said they were too close, so he moved them a distance out into the
woods on each side. Three horses came in together...one of which (Allison
Herlong) had led the other two the whole way. They raced in towards the
lanterns thinking they designated the sides of the trail. The light
blinded them and first two riders literally ran into the woods and the
third came right up the middle and the person at the finish line
designated him the winner. I felt sick about it.  I still think Allison
Herlong and Star deserved that win. At that time I had no idea how
blinding lights could be to riders who were coming out of the dark.

If you watch the finishing film of the Pan Ams, or Biltmore you'll see
many horses hesitate and get spooky headed towards the big lights they
put up at the finish line. There's probably a way to do it that would be
less blinding...perhaps aimed more away from the horse & down.  As far as
spectators, yeah, it's bad to blow a win because of them, but so long as
they weren't in his path or literally waving things I believe a horse has
got to be willing to deal with that. Maybe if the light situation were
better he would have. It is a good thing to remind managements of these
things... might be worth a notation in the ride management's packet.

Angie

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